The invention relates to a sample carrier for at least one biological sample, especially for the cryopreservation of the biological sample, to a sample storage with a plurality of sample carriers designed to receive at least one biological sample, and to a method for the cryopreservation of biological samples.
The putting of biological samples in a cooled, especially frozen state (cryopreservation) for storage (accumulation) and/or for processing is generally known. Numerous types of sample carriers are known from the practice with different forms, sizes and functions that are selected depending on the concrete requirements of a preservation task. For example, for large sample amounts such as blood or tissue, sample carriers in the form of bags, beakers or cuvettes (so-called cryotubes) are used, whereas for small sample amounts such as cell suspensions, substrates with compartments for the receiving of samples are preferred.
Modular sample carriers are known for the reliable handling of a plurality of individual samples. The modular sample carriers described in DE 102 03 940 A1 are distinguished by the detachable fastening of several substrate parts with compartments for the receiving of samples on a common base part. Advantages for the handling of the samples result from the modular technique, especially in the removal of partial samples or the combination of different sample groups. However, the modular construction of substrate- and base parts can have disadvantages since samples can be exposed in the compartments to environmental influences. In particular, undesired foreign substances from a gaseous or liquid environment or from adjacent compartments can be deposited in the partial samples. Contaminations can reduce the quality of cryosamples or completely destroy the cryosamples. In order to avoid contaminations, DE 102 03 940 suggests the use of a protective foil that, however, represents undesired additional expense for many applications and whose protective action can be limited, especially during the transport of substrate parts, e.g. by mechanical influences.
The objective of the invention is to provide an improved sample carrier to avoid the disadvantages of the conventional techniques, in particular during the depositing of biological samples for the cryopreservation and that is suitable in particular for forming a modular interconnection system for receiving a plurality of samples, and that offers an improved protection of the samples against environmental influences, especially against contaminations from a liquid or gaseous environment or from adjacent sample carriers. Furthermore, the sample carrier shall have a simplified construction and have an improved handling in the construction of the interconnection system consisting of several sample carriers. The objective of the invention also consists in providing an improved sample storage for the separate receiving of a plurality of biological samples with which the disadvantages of the conventional modular sample storages are avoided and that is distinguished by an improved handling, in particular an improved removal of partial samples, an expanded range of application and a low space requirement. The objective of the invention also is to provide an improved method for the cryopreservation to avoid the disadvantages of the conventional techniques.
These objects are solved by a sample carrier, a sample storage and a method of the invention.